Weighted Sled Push Progressions

Race facts

The Sled Push is the second workout station in current Singles and covers 50 m. The listed total loads, including the sled, are 102 kg for Women, 152 kg for Women Pro and Men, and 202 kg for Men Pro. Athletes must push the sled and its posts across each section line, remain in the assigned lane and complete the prescribed distance. Event equipment and officials’ instructions control on race day.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

Why kilograms do not define resistance

A sled’s plate mass is not a portable measure of difficulty. The force required depends strongly on the sled, runners, surface, contamination, direction and speed. Laboratory work shows that friction and effective loading change with mass and speed even on the same track. Therefore 120% of race mass on turf cannot be assumed equivalent to 120% on a HYROX^® carpet, and loads from different gyms should not be compared without a performance measure. Record sled, surface, total mass, distance, time or velocity and perceived effort.

Cross et al. sled-friction study

Using heavier sleds

Above-race-mass pushing is one possible strength-oriented stimulus, but no HYROX^® trial validates 110–130% zones, a 25 kg ceiling, or the claim that it makes race mass a fixed percentage of maximal capacity. A sled-push study in male high-school athletes found load-specific changes after eight weeks when loads were prescribed by velocity decrement; it was sprint training, not HYROX^® preparation. Use a load that permits purposeful movement and controlled posture, then progress mass, distance, sets or speed one variable at a time. Practise official mass and representative surfaces as well when race specificity matters.

Cahill et al. resisted sled-push trial · Cross et al. sled-friction study

Programming

Set frequency, distance and recovery from the session goal, current ability and total running and lower-body load. Heavy short efforts, race-specific efforts and lighter faster pushes can serve different goals, but none requires a universal weekly mix. The 2026 ACSM overview supports progressive resistance training while showing that relatively few prescription variables consistently determine adaptation. There is no evidence-based HYROX^® rule for six-to-eight-week overload blocks, exact rest intervals, a two-session week, or stopping overload exactly two to four weeks before racing. Reduce fatigue toward competition according to the whole programme and individual response.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand

Safety

Inspect sled, plates, route and footwear; secure plates and keep the lane clear. Build pressure into the posts with a stable hand position and a trunk and stride you can control. Body angle changes with load, friction, body dimensions and speed, so 45 degrees is not mandatory. Stop or reduce load if the sled cannot be controlled, posture changes abruptly, or pain, dizziness or unusual symptoms appear. Heavy sled work does not itself prove stronger tendons or lower injury risk.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand

FAQ

What are the current Singles loads?

Including the sled: Women 102 kg; Women Pro and Men 152 kg; Men Pro 202 kg. Check the current event rulebook because rules can change.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

How far is the station?

The current Singles distance is 50 m, completed in the marked sections according to venue instructions.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

How much above race mass should I train?

No universal percentage is validated. Start from the resistance your sled and surface create, use a controlled performance measure and progress gradually.

Cross et al. sled-friction study · Cahill et al. resisted sled-push trial

Should every session be heavier than race mass?

No. Heavy, race-specific and lighter work can have different purposes. Choose the mix from your goal, recovery and total programme.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand

When should I stop heavy sled work before racing?

There is no universal cutoff. Reduce or remove fatiguing work early enough that you arrive recovered while retaining useful race-specific practice.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand

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Repz data from athlete training logs shows that athletes who include systematic overload blocks in their 12-week build cut their sled push station times by an average of 18–23% compared to athletes who train exclusively at race weight. The difference is not fitness. It is the size of the strength buffer above race weight.